Alone
by blackvelvet-smile
Summary: A story of Van's childhood. A little fluff at the end. One Shot.


_**Alone**_

Remembering was painful. Watching her waste away slowly in front of that memorial. He could remember not understanding much at the time of why she would cry the way she would, cry for Folken. Van could barely recall his father's death over that of his brother; he'd spent more time with him after all. Folken had been his rock in the times he needed someone, when he needed help he ran to Folken.

What he did remember was the speculation and slander that followed after his brother failed to return to Fanalia. That Folken was a coward and a disgrace to the throne and bloodline. There were also the whispers that it was a curse; one that ran through Van's blood as well.

The heavy padding of feet ran down the marble halls of the castle. Red eyes honed in on their target running in her yellow sun dress. " Merle!" An eleven year old Van shouted after her. " Come back with that!"

The small cat girl smirked while she ran on all fours away from Van, his left boot in her mouth. She leapt out a window onto the roof thinking Van wouldn't follow her any further. Instead she saw him scramble out the wide window and jump holding to the gutter and pull himself up.

" Lord Van NO!" She cried, dropping the boot in her mouth. It tumbled down the roof and straight into Van's hands. He laughed having already pulled himself up and put it on. Leaping down, swinging back into the open window. Standing straight once more Van was greeted by two very angry maids.

Merle listened to the maid scolding Van from the roof; her ears flattened on her head when she heard Van being dragged away.

" But it wasn't my fault!" He said repeatedly.

" Lord Van you could have been killed!" The one called Ierana said. " What would possess you to climb out onto the roof in the first place. What if you had fallen!"

" What would it have mattered!" Van shouted yanking his hand out of the grip of the maid. She turned wide eyed at the young boy's words. Van did the one thing he could think of, he turned and ran again; Van ran and ran through the castle. Tears had begun to blind him when he'd reached the forest behind the castle. He tripped into the grass and leaves, a few stones cutting his hands open, Van wiped at his eyes impatiently. Kings don't cry. That's what his brother had told him one day.

Looking up Van stared at the stone that was etched with his father's name as well as his brothers; they hadn't found his mother. She'd disappeared in the forests nearly three years ago; looking for Folken. An ounce of anger boiled in Van. Gripping the rock that had dug into the palm of his hand he hurled it at the stone monument. " I don't want to be King!" He shouted to no one. " Folken! He was supposed to be King. Not me!" A few futile tears escaped. " I didn't want this! I didn't!" Van threw himself to the forest floor covering his face while futile tears escaped through the cracks of his fingers.

Hours later Van was found by a few maids wandering the palace grounds, he was hurried to his sword lesson with Balgus. The young prince's dampened mood didn't escape the trained solder's eye. " Is something wrong Lord Van?" He asked at the end of their daily session. Van had a few cuts scrapes and bruises. His guard has dropped remarkably during the session.

" No." Van answered, putting the sword back in its scabbard. " I'm just tired is all."

" Hm. Very well. See that you are well rested for our next spar Lord Van."

Van spent the remainder of his day avoiding people, most specifically maids. Mostly he stayed around the royal stables, sneaking into stalls and sitting with the horses that towered over him. Eventually in the day Merle found him, with potent tears in her eyes she'd apologized repeatedly to him about the trouble she'd caused stealing his boot. But still Van's mood did not improve and eventually they began to brush one of the horses.

Still the silence between them was immense and was beginning to weigh down on the young cat girl unsure of her friends turmoil. Until. "Merle do you think I will be a good King?" His back was turned to the younger cat girl, shoulders hunched as he began putting back the brushes.

Merle cocked her head to the side her ear twitching. "Lord Van you'll be a great King."

"Do you think…" The words began to break up in his throat. "Do you think father would be proud of me?" Merle didn't say anything but he knew the girl had begun to tear up again. "What about Folken?" He whispered, his voice a high pitched crack now. "Why did he disappear?" Tears began to dollop onto his shirt and soak in, he wiped them a way in vain only to have the hot salt replaced with more. "I miss them Merle. I miss my mother. I miss Folken."

There was nothing Merle could do but watch Van in apt silence. As the young prince cried, shoulders shaking fists clenched, in the horse stall. Hidden away from the eyes of maids and tutors, away from the people left to raise him. Merle frowned taking up his hand. "You still have me Lord Van!" She said as cheerfully as she could manage her eyes shining with love behind the sheen of tears. "I'll be here for you forever. I promise."

Pulling her into a hug, Van held the cat girl close as he could to himself. Merle was all the family he had left right now, the only one who would stay by his side. "Thank you Merle." He whispered hugging her tight. "Thank you."

End.

Hello Kittens,

This is pure drabble I had sitting on the desktop. Figured I'd put a coat of paint on it for you all though. Read/Review please!


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